Our Practice Educator Course

When social work students are on their placement, practice educators take responsibility for the social work student’s learning and assessment and makes the recommendation regarding the student’s competence to the practice assessment panels and the examination boards.

Being heavily involved in the student’s practice education, means that they are being supported to learn not only from the practice educator and professionals they are working with, but also, people with lived experience of social work.

The course consists of two units;

Enabling Work Based Learning (EWBL – Unit 1) and Supervising a Learner in Practice (SLP – Unit 2).

By the end of the first unit, successful candidates will have developed the skills and confidence to contribute to the learning and assessment of a range of work-based learners and take full responsibility for the learning and assessment of a first placement social work student (or equivalent).

By the end of the second unit, successful candidates will have fully developed the skills, knowledge and confidence to take a leading role in supporting and assessing workplace learning including the assessment of qualifying and / or post-qualified professional learners at all levels and stages of study.

How to Apply

Students whose fees are to be paid by their employer should follow their employers application procedures prior to applying online. Anyone who is paying their own fees should apply through Wozzad the online booking system.

Links to Wozzad:

Enabling Work Based Learning

Level 6 – https://www.applycpd.com/BU/courses/115899?courseId=115899&tabId=27

Level 7 – https://www.applycpd.com/BU/courses/115900?courseId=115900&tabId=27

Supervising a Learner in Practice

Level 6 – https://www.applycpd.com/BU/courses/115923?courseId=115923&tabId=27

Level 7 – https://www.applycpd.com/BU/courses/115880?courseId=115880&tabId=27

Practice Educator Professional Standards (PEPS)

BASW England has developed refreshed standards to promote the development, and awareness, of Professional Standards in Social Work Education within the social work profession and with people with lived experience of social work.

It is hoped that this document will be used to promote the Practice Educator Professional Standards (PEPS) and lead to a wider understanding of the role of the practice educator (PE) by students, employers and anyone involved in practice education.

Practice Educator Professional Standards (PEPS)

Meet the Team

• 

  Dr Lou Oliver

  Unit Lead and Unit Tutor

  Louise is a lecturer in social work and is the lead for the Social Work Practice Educator Units: Enabling Work Based Learning and Supervising a Learner in Practice. She also teaches within the pre-qualifying Bachelors and Masters programmes, including the Post-Graduate Diploma, Step Up To Social Work.

  Louise received the Vice Chancellor Scholarship to undertake and complete her PhD, on problematic communications in the form of secrets and secrecy and the influence this has upon child-to-parent violence and abuse. She continues to conduct research focusing upon family conflict, violence and abuse. She is also interested in game-based learning and gamification and is working on several collaborative projects, using these methods, to enhance learning in health and social care practice.

  Previous career: Louise has worked within children’s social care since 2004, as a Family Support Worker and later a qualified as a Social Worker. Prior to that she worked within the independent sector, working with adults who were homeless and using substances and also in a residential setting to support adults develop independent living skills.

• 

  David Neal

  Unit Tutor

  I am a lecturer in Social Work, currently employed as a Team Manager in the Academy of Social Work in Plymouth City Council’s Children Services. I provide visiting lectures and practice education to a broad range of qualifying Social Work programmes and deliver Bournemouth Universities Practice Education Qualification in the far South West peninsula region. I am particularly interested in therapeutic social work and how busy social workers can find opportunity to apply therapeutic models and methods to promote meaningful and sustained change for families. My research interests are in the field of practice education.

  Publications:

  Neal, D. & Regan, A., (2016) Observations of student practice: What difference does observer qualification make?, in Bellinger, A, & Ford, D. (Eds.) (2016) Practice Placement in Social Work: Innovative approaches for effective teaching and learning, Bristol, Policy Press.

  Following a career in the Royal Navy I qualified as a Social Worker in 2002, working for the Royal Navy’s own dedicated social work service. I subsequently moved to the University of Plymouth, where I lectured for 8 years prior to returning to a front line educational role. I am a Senior Fellow of the Higher Education.

  david.neal@plymouth.gov.uk

• 

  Kate Kenny

  Unit Tutor

  I’m Katie Kenny. I’m a fully qualified social worker and practice educator in Solihull.

  I’ve been qualified since 2004, and always worked within Children and Families in Solihull.

  I’ve had various roles in different teams, but specialising in direct work to support positive changes, using Signs of Safety approach.

  During my time in frontline practice, I had 4 students and loved supporting them with their learning and development.

  I moved across into Workforce Development in 2019 and become the lead in delivering and supporting all things Practice Education! This meant delivering and working with Bournemouth university to deliver their Practice Education award.

  I also deliver training on Chronologies, Child and Family Assessments and Outcome Focussed plans.

  I am committed to ensuring that social workers involved in Practice Education are well supported and valued and that we develop highly skilled Practice Educators who can provide social work students with a valuable learning experience.

• 

  Thomasin Wills

  Programme Support Officer – CPD

  Thomasin joined the University in January 2022. She has worked in a variety of Project Coordination roles in both Local Government and Charitable organisations over 18 years. Thomasin manages on-course support for a range of CPD courses within the team. She is responsible for enrolment, maintaining student records, the assessment process and other related processes.

  If you have any questions regarding the programme, please come to me.

  twills@bournemouth.ac.uk

• 

  Sandra Adye

  Business Support Manager

  I am an experienced and motivated manager, renowned for my enthusiastic approach to challenges, empowering and motivating others and inspiring change. I have a background in managing Work Based Learning Programmes and proven experience in working with external stakeholders. As a Business Support Manager, I am responsible for day-to-day oversight of business operations, as well as developing and enhancing client relationships across the full breadth of HSS activities. These relationships include clients from health, social care, voluntary and private sectors at operational, as well as strategic management level.

  I always have a smile on my face and am proactive, pragmatic, positive and flexible with a ‘can do’ attitude.

  Hobbies/interests:  Travelling, walking, yoga, dancing, cooking, gardening and spending time with family, friends and my dog ‘Bertie’.

  sadye@bournemouth.ac.uk

• 

  Tilia Lenz

  Framework Lead

  Tilia is a Senior Lecturer for Social Work and the CPD Framework lead for Social Sciences.

  She is a qualified Social Pedagogue and registered Social Worker and spent 15 years in front line Children’s Services as a practitioner and manager. She undertook her MA studies in Managing and Developing Services in Health and Social Care at BU with the focus on Organisational Cultures and Staff Performance. She is now undertaking research for her PhD on ‘Relationship Performance Management in Child Protection’. She has a particular interest in practitioner wellbeing and resilience.

  Tilia also teaches on the qualifying degree courses and is unit lead for Law and Social Policy.

  You can follow Tilia on Twitter: @Lenz.Tilia

  lenzt@bournemouth.ac.uk

Useful Contacts

Dr Louise Oliver – Unit Lead Practice Education – LOliver@bournemouth.ac.uk

Thomasin Wills – Programme Support Officer – twills@bournemouth.ac.uk